Never an Absolution
by UniverseDreams
Summary: Titanic and Andrews' last conversation in her final moments. Part of a series. One-shot.


**Author's Note: **My submission for day 15 of Titanic Centennial Anniversary Month. This story is part of a series of 20-30 one-shots that follows Titanic and Andrews over the course of her journey. For Titanic's centennial anniversary, I had so many projects going that I didn't have time to write out all of them, so I chose two of them to be 'showcase pieces' so to speak, one that takes place at the beginning of her voyage, and one at the end. This is the second of the two, the first of which is "Journey to Sea," that's also posted here on FF,net. This story's place in the series is the 26th or 27th, but they don't need to be read in any particular order. All the stories in the series are written in the style of a 1900s flavor with a modern touch, kinda the same as the movie. The whole series will be posted someday, maybe for Titanic's 101st or 102nd anniversary. We'll see.

_*This series utilizes my original 'Vessel Personas' concept and its rules, where ships and other vessels are capable of having living souls that they can project into human personas. Titanic, as well as her two sister ships, Olympic and Britannic, all have souls. For a brief introduction to my Vessel Personas concept, as well as my human-Titanic's design, profile, and specifications, refer here: http :/ amethyst jewel . deviant art . com /art /VP-Lady-Titanic-293654003 . Just remove the spaces._

I listened to the second half of the Titanic soundtrack while writing this (it's also named after a track on the soundtrack which fits it very well), and man, did I cry a lot, whew. :( More than any other story I've ever written, actually. It's very sad. Poor Titanic. :( The story takes place the morning of April 15, 1912 and more-or-less picks up from where Andrews is last seen in the movie. And the story is kind of short, but their conversation _is_ only supposed to be around five minutes. They didn't have much time left. :( I like this story so much, even though it's so sad, and I think my personal favorite part is the very last sentence. I just really like it for some reason. This is also my first story in the tragedy genre.

Hope you...like it, I guess? Even though it's really sad. And as always, please R&R.

**Disclaimers: **Titanic belongs to Thomas Andrews. Andrews owns himself. James Cameron owns the movie. The Vessel Personas concept, this representation and design of human-Titanic, and this story and its series are mine.

* * *

2:12 a.m. Thomas Andrews gazed down at the time on his pocket watch in despair. He stood in front of the fireplace in one of the first-class smoking rooms, secluded from the chaos and panic taking place throughout the ship. He had given as much help as he could, clearing out staterooms, assisting passengers into the lifeboats, and throwing deck chairs and life jackets off the ship for the people already in the water. But now, in what was going to be her final moments, he retreated here to be alone with his ship, lamenting his failures and the end. Judging from the angle that _Titanic _was now tilting, it couldn't be long now. Andrews slipped his watch back into his pocket and then reached up to the clock in front of him that sat on the fireplace's mantle, opened its glass cover, and adjusted the clock's hands, stopping the time. He didn't want to see the time when it happened. He closed the clock's cover and glanced up to the painting above the fireplace that illustrated a ship entering harbor. It could not get any more ironic. That was something _Titanic_ would never achieve.

The ship gave a loud groan, the terrible sound resonating throughout the room. Andrews closed his eyes, leaning his hands against the mantle. How had it come to this? To such a tragedy? He had never believed that she was unsinkable as so many claimed, but for this to happen... His beautiful _Titanic__... _She would never complete her maiden voyage, would never reach her destination, doomed to a cruel fate of sinking on her first crossing. At any minute, she would give out and sink beneath the waves of the Atlantic, lost to the world forever. And she would be taking so many lives with her; half of her passengers, over a thousand people. He did not intend to survive either. He had failed as an architect, failed to build a strong and safe ship. He cast his lifejacket away on one of the tables and had ultimately given it to young Rose, and her love, Jack. Hopefully, they would somehow make it through this disaster. As for him, he couldn't leave his ship. He couldn't leave Titanic. Most all, he had failed her, and knowing that broke his heart in two. The only thing left that he could hope for was that she might find some way to forgive him...

"Thomas."

Andrews lifted his head and turned to his right, looking to where the soft voice had spoken. There she stood before him. Her dress was soaked up to her waist, blood still visible beneath the tears in her skirt. Her neat bun had come unraveled, her hair cascading down her shoulders, and her eyes, still their strikingly vivid blue, had lost all trace of the happiness and warmth they once contained, now replaced with deep pain and sorrow. "Oh, Titanic..."

Titanic drifted to the nearest table and reached for one of the chairs, her fingers trailing along the top. Her gaze turned down to the floor, her eyes glassy. "I've helped everyone that I can," she said quietly. "All but two of the lifeboats are away. The extent of my ability to assist ends here. I can do no more. I only wish...that it was not going to end like this."

Thomas gazed desperately at her, and then closed his eyes and hung his head. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Titanic. That this happened, that I didn't build you stronger. I...I know I've failed you, and I'm so sorry for that. I was supposed to build you to be strong and safe, but I have obviously failed. Because of these circumstances, everything you wanted, everything you dreamed of has been shattered... And you will never realize your potential..." he choked out in a pained whisper. "Please, forgive me..."

Titanic turned slightly, glancing over her shoulder at her architect. "There is nothing to forgive, Thomas. This tragedy is not your fault. If anything, it is mine. Perhaps if I had taken a more active role, I could've prevented this from happening. I will never know..." She sighed and placed her hand against her chest. "Before this, I never believed I could feel so desperate a pain. Or that I possessed a heart to break. I'm sorry that this happened and I regret that so many lives will be lost. I have let down everyone who worked for me these many years. I will not go on to experience long voyages, as I hope my two sisters will. I guess that future was never fated to be. But regarding everything, those feelings, those dreams...I would give it all away in a heartbeat if only every soul onboard could be saved and I could sink alone." She smiled sadly at Andrews. "And for one more day with you." She drew in a shaking breath and met his eyes. "You should go, Thomas," she said softly. "At least try to save yourself, before it's too late."

"Titanic..." he started, but she held up her hand, silencing him.

"No, listen to me. You should go. As my architect, I know you feel responsible for what's happened, but please..." She stepped closer to him. "My existence may have been brief, but I'm thankful for everything that I experienced. The time we spent together, talking, dreaming; every moment that I had with you. And with my passengers." She gazed at him desperately. "Please...you have a future, a family, people who love you. Do not sacrifice your life for my sake."

Andrews stared at her despairingly. "What about you? You could separate from your physical body and leave the ship also, couldn't you?"

Titanic glanced away. "My duty was to every passenger who put their lives in my hands, to provide them with safe transport and to protect them. And I have failed in that duty. I have failed as a ship." She swallowed painfully. "Even so, I will remain faithful to my original responsibilities. If these people are going to go down with me, then I will die with them. I cannot...I will not leave."

"The same is true for me," Andrews replied quietly. "I'm sorry, but I cannot leave you, Titanic. You were..." He shook his head, correcting himself. "You are...everything I ever could've dreamed and so much more. You are not at fault for this tragedy either; you couldn't have known this would happen. And you have not failed me, in any capacity. Despite all this, I am still proud of you." He averted his gaze. "I realize that it may be selfish to stay, it may be crazy, or irrational, or something else entirely, but I...I cannot do it." His voice wavered, close to breaking. "I cannot leave you."

Titanic nodded in understanding, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over. After what seemed a long silence, she spoke. "I want you to know that I was wrong, Thomas."

"About what?"

"When I began this voyage, I said that the feeling of my engines running at full was the best in the world. But when I saw a passenger jump back onto me, a sinking ship, to be with the one she loved, it made me realize that I was wrong." She gazed into his eyes, smiling sadly. "Being with you...loving you...is the best feeling I've ever known. I cherish it more than anything."

Andrews returned her gesture, smiling sadly back at her. "And I as well."

The ship gave another loud groan, and Titanic gasped, her expression twisting in pain, her hands going to her waist. Andrews extended his hand, alarmed. "Titanic...!"

She let out a pained breath. "The pressure on my hull is increasing. I won't be able to take this much longer." She lowered her head and dropped her hands limply to her sides. "It cannot be long, now. These few moments..." her voice broke, "are all we have left."

"Titanic," Andrews said, making her look up at him. "The time we had together may have been brief, but I also think that it was wonderful. And if the end of this journey has to be here, I will at least be with you." He extended his hand to her, and after a few seconds' pause, she accepted his invitation and took hold of his hand, stepping up to him. For a moment, they stood gazing into each other's eyes, and then he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him. Her hands reached up to rest on his back and he could feel her quiet sobs as she leaned into his embrace. They stood holding each other, trying to offer even the slightest comfort, despite both of them being heartbroken.

A log cracked in the dying fire, displacing embers. The screams of the passengers were faded and distant now. The ship's tilt was ever-increasing as she sank deeper and deeper into the depths below. Her hull groaned loudly and Titanic whimpered, her grip around Andrews tightening as she felt the pressure and strain rising on her body.

Andrews gave a shuddering breath and turned his face into her hair. "I love you, Titanic," he confessed, voice barely a whisper.

He felt her hands press more securely against his back. She closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder, tears falling down her cheeks. "I love you, too, Thomas..."

And so they stood together in the lonely smoking room, in front of the fireplace, the painting adorning the space above which depicting a ship entering harbor. A shore that sadly, they would never reach.


End file.
